jd, corn has to dry in the fields prior to harvesting. I don't know the exact measure, but I believe something like 10% moisture content or less is desired by the grain elevators. If you come in above that, you have to pay a fee to have it dried down to the acceptable moisture level.
That said, often times farmers will chop the first corn they harvest for their silos (stalks and all), then harvest it more conventionally for feed or sale.
It doesn't really hurt the corn too much to even have it sit in the fields over the winter if you can't get it harvested. You lose a little to mice and other animals, and you lose a bit of nutrition in the grain as well. Lots of lazy hobby farmers work things this way.
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